Typewriting machine



Nov.'9, 1937. v Mw. F. HELMOND 2,098,730

TYPEWRITIG MACHINE Filed oct. 24, 1955 Patented Nov. 9, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFiCE TYPEWRITING MACHINE Application. october 24, 1935, serial No. 46,461

7 claims.'

A.'I'his invention relates Vto detachable types for typewriting machines. Y

l.',Ihis'invention presents-a separable type-bar for. typewriting machines in which the rigidity .5' and .alignment of the assembled type-bar is` accomplished by ymeans which, acting substantially at :right kangles to the plane of the type-bar, does nothavesto opposethe forces resulting `from the contact of the type-head with the platen, ,or the 10 centrifugal vforce incident to the type-bar travel 'from its. home position to the platen.

'The object of the inventionV is therefore Yto `provide aeseparable-type-bar construction vvvl'rich permits the Jdisengagement of-the elements bythe exertion fof a moderate force vapplied substantially at rightangles to the plane of the type-bar.

.Other :featuresgand advantages-wllhereinaiter appear. Y

In the accompanying drawing, Y 'Figure 1 is a side elevation .of the hub portion of the type-bar. Y 1 Figure 2fis.a vside elevation iof the removable type-.bearing element.

Figure '3.is a sectional view taken horizontally .2,5 through the type-bar and its `type-element.

Figure 4 shows the method of removing the type-bearing element.

Figure 5 is a sectional view of the assembled type-bar and type-bearing element in printing V353 position.

Fig-ure 6 is a perspective of the type-bar hub. Referring to Figure l, Iii is the main Aor hub portion of the type-bar, to which is secured by rivets II or other suitable means a leaf spring I2 '35 and a channeled member i3, Athe sides oi said channel embracing the outer edgesl of the typebar hub and the leaf spring. Near its free extremity, channel I3 is formed with a pair of op,- positely disposed lugs I4, extending upwardly and '40 inwardly vfrom the channel sides, and a hole I5, -preferably intermediate the lugs. The outer ends of lthechannel and leaf springs are-flared, as at I-6, 'Figure 3, to receive the type-bearing velement I'I. The hub portion IB is formed with a suitable 45 slot I8 at its hub end to receive the customary fulcrurnv vwire 19, vligure .4, which occupies a groove 20 in the type-bar supporting seg-ment 2l of the typewriter, so as to be swung, by the action of akey-bar (not shown), into printing position against the platen 22. The type-guide 23 of usual design assists in the alignment of the type-head 24 against the platen.

The type-bearing element II is formed of sheet metal and has a partially circular profile 25 at 55 its entering end, the maximum diameter of which is suilicient to engage the sides of thechannel L3. E

At a convenient intermediate point, as ,2.6, the sides diverge, forming parallel sides 2.1, again sufcient toengage vthe sides of channel I3. The type-bearing element therefore may engage the sides of the socket formed by leaf spring .I2 and channel I3 without binding. l A rounded top button 28 riveted or otherwis secured to the shank of thetype-bearing element Il is arranged to tightly engage the hole I5 in the channel-member, so as to act as a gage for-.assuring ther correct overall length of the assembled type-bar, and to prevent any longitudinal move.- ment of the type-bearing element I'l during. operation.` 1.5

The type-head 24 of any conventional design, Figure 2 is secured to the type-bearing element I -1 in the lusual manner. When the `type-bearing `element Il is inserted yinto the socket formed by leaf spring ll2 and channel I3, .as at Figure 3, the spring I2 engages the sides of thev type-bearingA element vat two places, as 29 and 3l), Figure 3, urging the element into contact with the inner surface of the channel I3 throughout its length, and keeping the button 28 in engagement with hole l5. 'Y n The inner portion 29 of spring l2 Vis parallel tg the inner surface of the channel I3l and comparatively unyielding because of its proximity to its rivets I-I, making the socket substantially rigid at ,3,0 its inner end. The type-bearing element Il is of the same thickness as the hub portion IG, and is held tightly in the socket, so as not to twist duri-ng typing. Because of the contact of the side walls ofthe channel I3 with the type-bearing element I1 at the sections 25 and 2l of the latter, the force of the blow of the type-head 24 is taken by the side vwalls ofthe channel, and the pin-andhole connection is not subjected to a strain which could aiect the alignment of the assembled typebar. Y

To remove the type-bearing element, it is necessary only for the operator partially to depress the; associated key (not shown) to raise the assembled type-bar 3l :to a position Where the typehad' ,Can pbegrasped, as shown in Figure `4. By exerting a suitable pressure at the type-head 24, the typ-e-bar-holding element Il may be used as a lever to spread the spring I2 and at the same time bring the button 28 out of engagement with hole I5. Harmful or unnecessary flexing of spring I2 is prevented by the lugs I4. A simple pull' will then suffice to remove the type-holding element. When inserting a new element, only a direct push is required, because the mouth of the 55 socket, formed by the flaring at I6, and the rounded head of button 28 permit easy entrance.

When the type-bearing element is inserted to the proper depth, the. spring I2 will snap the button 28 into the hole I5.

The additional or special type-bearing elements may be suitably plated, painted or otherwise marked to serve to distinguish-them from those regularly associated with the keyboard. Y

It will thus be seen that I have devised a sim ple and useful type-bar construction which provides vforV the easy removal or insertion of typebearing elements and yet holds the type-bearing element in a manner whichkprecludes the possibility of loss of alignment when in service.

Variations may be resorted to within the scope of the invention, and portions of the improve-Y ments may be used without others. Y

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

V1. A separable type-barfor a typewriter, com'- prising a hub-member having a socket xed to one end thereof, said socket including a channel, the sides of which embrace the hub-member, and a plate-spring opposing the web of the channel and forming one side of the socket, a type-carrying member arranged to be inserted into said socket, and means co-operating-With said yieldable side to retain said type-carryingmember in position in said socket.

2. A separable type-bar for a typewriter, comprising a hub-member, a four-Walled socket fixed to one end thereof, one of the said walls being a plate-spring, and a type-head-,carrying member having a shank arranged to fit snugly Within the said socket in frictional engagement with the side walls of the said socket at a plurality of points along both side edges of the said shank, thelatterY having a pin to engage a holeafor'med in one wall of the socket, to establish the'length of the assembled type-bar, the pin-and-hole engagement being secured against accidental separation by the pressure of the plate-spring Yagainst the said shank.

3. A separable type-bar for a typewriter, comprising a hub-member, aisocket fixed to one end thereof, the said socket comprising a channel and a plate-spring, a type-head-carrying member having a shank for insertion into the said socket, and means for rigidly gaging the length of the assembled type-bar, said socket including means for protecting the said gaging means against the force of the impact of the type-head against the platen.

4. As an article of manufacture, a separable type-bar for a typewriting machine comprising the combination with a type-head-carrying member having a shank and an abutment formed on said shank, of a hub-member arranged at one end to receive a type-bar-fulcrum wire and co-operate with the typewriter-key-bar mechanism, said hub-member having at its other end a yieldable sided socket to receive the type-head-holding element, said socket including a channel and a plate-spring, the side walls of the channel embracing the plate-spring and having lugs overlyingthe plate-spring to form means to prevent the undue distortion of the yieldable side thereof, the said channel also having a recess to receive the abutment on said type-head-holding element.Y

5. A separable type-bar for a typewriting machine comprising a main or hub portion formed at one end to receive a type-bar fulcrum wire and engageable with the key-bar mechanism of said typewritng machine, a flared end socket having one yieldable side `ixed to theopposite end of said hub portion, the said socket including a channel `and a leaf-spring secured to opposite faces of the said hub portion, and held in spaced relationship by the hub portion, the sides of the channel embracing the sides ofthe said hub portion and of the leaf-spring, thus forming a substantially rectangular socket closed at one end by the said hub portion, and a manually removable or insertable type-head-holding element to co-operate lwith said socket, said element composed of a ment of said type-head-holding element in said` socket. Y

6. A separable type-bar for a typewriting machine, comprising a hub-member Vformed to receive a type-bar-fulcrum wire -and engageable with the key-bar mechanism of the said machine, a socket fixed to the free end of the said hubmember, the said socket having substantially closed sides and bottom, one of the said sides being a leaf-spring, and a' type-head-holding member having a shank arranged to fit snugly Within the said socket and frictionally to engage all of the sides thereof, the said-shank having a gaging pin thereon to co-operate with a hole in said socket to establish the assembled lengthiof the type-bar and to secure the assembled bar against accidental separation; the side WallsA of the socket taking the force of the impact of the type-head by reason of the close Vengagement of the type-carrying shank therewith, thus relieving the pin-and-hole connection of the strain resulting from the said'impact. f

'7. A separable type-bar for a typewriter, including a hub-member, a type-head-carrying member having a shank to which the type-head is secured, and a socket formed at one end of the hub-member and Varranged to receive the shank of the type-head-carrying member snugly, the said shank lying in the same plane as the hubmember, the overall length of the assembled typebar being maintained by a pin-and-slot engagement between the shank and the socket, the said pin-and-slot engagement being non-yieldingly resistant to aY force acting in the plane of the hubmember and shank, and protected bythe said socket from strain resulting from the effect Vof the blowV of the type-head againstthe platen.

WILLIAM F. HELMOND. 

